`diff` - how to show line numbers?

Python, Perl and Golang Perl
1

Hi,

I’m trying to use “diff” via SSH to show the differences in 2 files. I’m using:

diff file1.html file2.html

…I need to show the line numbers too - and suggestions as to how that can be done?

TIA

Andy

2

BTW, heres the example output:

linkssql@undevmac linkssql $ diff test.sh test3.sh
1c1
< mysql -ufoo -pfoo foo;
---
> -ufoo -pfoo foo;
2a3,6
> gdfgdfgdfgdg
>
>
> line 6 added
\\ No newline at end of file

I’m guessing the bits like 2a3,6 mean something in terms of the line numbers? I can’t seem to find anything to advise exactly what they mean though :confused:

The files contents are BTW:

test.sh

mysql -ufoo -pfoo foo;
SELECT * FROM test;

test3.sh

-ufoo -pfoo foo;
SELECT * FROM test;
gdfgdfgdfgdg


line 6 added

TIA!

Andy

3

If you use the ‘-u’ switch with diff, it will output in unified diff format; this is used for patches with the patch program. In this format, the differences are shown as + and - rather than < and >, and before each diff, the line numbers of the offending lines are given.

4

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Ijust tried that:

linkssql@undevmac linkssql $ diff -u test.sh test3.sh
--- test.sh     2006-02-02 08:29:59.000000000 -0800
+++ test3.sh    2008-11-13 04:28:53.000000000 -0800
@@ -1,2 +1,6 @@
-mysql -ufoo -pfoo foo;
+-ufoo -pfoo foo;
 SELECT * FROM test;
+gdfgdfgdfgdg
+
+
+line 6 added
\\ No newline at end of file

…is it this bit thats important?

@@ -1,2 +1,6 @@

Not really sure what it means =)

TIA

Andy

5

Hi,

I’m still battling with this :frowning:

diff --line-format='%3dn %L' file1.html file2.html

…this prints out like:


  1 #!/usr/local/bin/perl
  2 # ==================================================================
  3 # Bla Bla
  3 # Bla Bla Changed This
  4 ################################################
  5 Something else

(i.e repeats lines that have changed)

…now, this is good -BUT, what I need to do, is try and color code the bits that were taken out (and the bits that were not). i.e make bits red that were taken out - and green for bits that were added. Is there any way to combine the code I have above, and the -u (so it shows + and - or > and < next to lines that were modified)

Anyone got any suggestions? :confused:

TIA!

Andy

6

I’ve heard of a program that you can probably “apt-get install” or similar, called vimdiff. My understanding is it takes similar options to diff, but displays two vim windows side by side with colour coding etc; this might be worth investigating…

7

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestion :slight_smile: Unfortunatly, this needs to be a browser based system (its for comparing new files, to older ones - to see what differences there are)

I ended up getting this in the end:

diff -y --width=250 $CFG->{admin_root_path}/changes/file1.txt $CFG->{admin_root_path}/changes/file2.txt

…which seems to work a charm :slight_smile:

Thanks again for taking the time anyway :smiley:

Cheers

Andy